So have you heard anything about Hans Reiser, the "computer geek" from California who is on trial for murdering his ex-wife? Or, I should say, he is suspected of murdering his ex-wife. She was last seen back in 2006 after dropping their two children off at his house, and her body as never been found.
If not, you can read the Washington Post article here.
For me, it was an interesting article to read. I like to read about unusual court cases and some of the facts surrounding this case are so bizarre. But mostly it was interesting to me because Reiser's defense attorneys are using a "geek defense" to explain away his somewhat strange behavior following his ex-wife's demise.
But not everyone believes he is guilty. Take, for instance, his father. You meet him near the end of the article, and he had this to say:
"His undergraduate thesis is on how if you change the perspective, the reality is different," said Ramon Reiser, the defendant's mathematician father, folding a pair of pants in the courtroom hallway as he waited to testify.
Who among us doesn't take their laundry with them wherever they go? I think he might be on to something here. There are times it takes me up to three days to get our laundry folded and put away. Maybe if I take a little bit with me wherever I go and just fold it while waiting in line somewhere it would save me time.
Growing up with someone like this, maybe Hans was a bit different than the rest of us.
I do have to question Hans' choice of friends, however. Take his best friend (or maybe ex-best friend), Sean Sturgeon, whom we meet shortly before the father. He was having an affair with Hans' wife, so I assume this is why they were divorced. He is described as "the cross-dressing bondage and discipline enthusiast [who] had been "maid of honor" at their wedding." He has also told investigators that he killed 8 people years ago.
Yeah. I have several friends who could be described like this. Don't we all?
But I digress. What struck me the most about this article is that his defense attorneys are using his "geekness" as sort of a "by reason of insanity". They have described him as eccentric, awkward and difficult to deal with. And while he has supposedly provided investigators plenty of evidence to go on:
1. He purchased two books on murder following his ex-wife's disappearance.
2. Police found his passport and $8,000 in cash in his fanny pack.
3. He had removed the battery from his cellphone, rendering it untraceable.
4. His ex-wife's cellphone battery had been removed from her cellphone.
5. His car had been recently cleaned and the front passenger seat removed.
his attorney's are arguing that this strange behavior is a product of his being a "computer genius" and not deranged suspected murderer.
I have to disagree with his attorneys. That is not behavior commonly associated with geeks. I should know, I am one. I studied mathematics and electrical engineering in college. My senior design project was titled Digital Beamforming Using Dolph-Chebychev Linear Array Synthesis. And I got an A.
And I have worked with plenty of engineers and computer programmers. Take for instance, this guy:
He was a bit odd. Many times he came to work wearing two different shoes because he got dressed in the dark. He would sometimes erupt in maniac-like laughter after writing what he considered a brilliant piece of computer code. He paced the hallways talking to himself while trying to figure out a problem. And he had a very difficult time relating to people around him socially. But while the two look somewhat alike, especially the pasty white skin associated with engineers who spend far too much time indoors with computer code, he definitely did not show signs of being a homicidal maniac.
So what is a geek?
In times past, the term "geek" was used to refer to a circus person in the sideshow who performed some bizarre feat. Like eating bugs. (Hmmmm.....I wonder if that is where the phrase de-bugging computer code come from...). Nowadays it is used to describe someone who has a great deal of specialized knowledge in a "geeky" field like engineering or computer programming. Things that the general population doesn't understand.
And what is typical geek behavior?
We wear shirts like this and understand what it means:
and we put our children in clothing like this:
and think it is funny.
We love gadgets and find things like USB drink warmers extremely useful (thanks, Peter's mom!):
But Hans Reiser? Definitely not typical geek behavior. Psychopathic is more like it.
Oh how I adore the t-shirt "There's no place like 127.0.0.1" I think my husband married me because I am a geek and not your typical girly girl!
It's amazing how far lawyers will go. I'm actually reading a book called Nineteen Minutes right now about a boy who shot 10 people in a high school. His lawyer is using "bully defense." He was bullied by other kids so had the right to kill them. I completely disagree with both "bully" and "geek" defense, but it makes for an interesting read. I work with a bunch of geeks, but they're some of the most normal people I know at the same time. I just admire the fact they know so much and can make things do what they want. By the way thanks for the homeless shelter idea, I never even thought about that, but there's plenty around here I'm sure.
sooo where can you get the shirts?
Have you ever read Dostoevesky's Crime and Punishment? I think you'd like it. The main character is convinced that great men (e.g. Napoleon) can get away with breaking laws such as stealing and murdering because they are above the laws, and he goes about doing just that because he thinks he's one of them. Funny thing is, it doesn't seem to sit well with him. I really want to read it again because it's a good book that I couldn't fully enjoy because I took too long to read it.
They try to use everything these days as a defense! I think he probably is a geek - but that is certainly no excuse to MURDER people - CRAZY! Have a good day -Kellan
i don't think using a stereotype as a defense is right! they should look at the intent, evidence, circumstances, etc... and work around that for the defense. i think the defense lawyer has gone desperate.
Where do you find these things? I haven't heard anything about this nutjob!
I always love the not guilty by reason of insanity plea. Really everybody should use it. Sane people don't kill folks!!!!
But I digress ... My hubby would love the v 2.0 shirt. When our 2nd daughter was born, he always joked we were going to skips names for future children and start going with unit 2, unit 3, etc. We never passed 2.
BTW one of our favorite songs is Weird Al's "White and Nerdy". Some of hits a little too close to home!
I have to say that hits close to home - I do work on gas turbine engines for a living. I am SURROUNDED by PhD's with IQ's higher than I can count (just kidding, sort of). I graduated summa with 2 engineering degrees and they make me feel dumb.
But they do have some strange behavior, that leaves me wondering what planet I'm on :)
Overall, they're nice people, geeky, but nice, and not murderers at all. I agree that geeky is not an excuse for a crime!!
Have you seen the little mini-fridge you can plug into a USB? It holds one can of soda. I want it! ThinkGeek.com
Just a note: These items can be found on thinkgeek.com
Courtney: Let's hear it for the geeks!!
Playful: We are very normal people.
Peter: thinkgeek.com
Ronnica: I've looked at it several times and it is a bit intimidating.
Kellan: Totally agree!
Charlotte: And a horrible stereotype at that!
Chandra: I found this in the Washington Post. LOVE the "white & nerdy" song!!
Mindi: Ah yes, the people that have an alphabet soup after their name. Dr. Joe Smith AS, BS, MS, MS, PhD, DIV....
Marie: No, I didn't see that! We have the USB cup warmer, so I just did a quick search for that. That would be totally awesome, tho!
You nailed that. I bet that psycho also had a t-shirt that said 'when i'm alone i google myself'!
I don't get the 127.0.0.1 reference, so I guess I'm not a geek? But yeah...I'm with you on the psychopath. Since when did killers become "geeks?"
Fanny Pack????!! He is guilty as sin! LOL
I'm out here where this case is unfolding, and I did have some personal experience with a couple other weird cases - Scott Peterson and the animal rights guy who blew up Shaklee. The Bay Area seems to get some pretty strange stuff.
But we have our stereotypes, which have some truth, but, in general, geeks seek other geeks, and have healthy relationships.
My favorite geek shirt -
http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/frustrations/5aa9/